My wife has the most amazingly beautiful skin, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is very determined and hardworking but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is an amazing cook, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife speaks multiple languages but it isn’t why I love her. My wife worships the Lord with all her heart, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife makes good money but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife has connections with high ranking government officials, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife gave me 4 amazing children, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife is humble and doesn’t self-promote, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife is a fabulous hostess, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife makes me a better investor, but that isn’t why I love her. I love my wife because…. Everyday I choose to love her. My love isn’t dependent upon her actions, looks, or wealth. True love isn’t a feeling, it is a choice to overlook shortcomings and slights. Love responds with respect, care, concern, and affection. Happy Birthday my...

With 3 young girls I get to watch frozen on a regular basis. Of all of the Disney animated movies, this is the only one I will let the watch as often as they want. There are 2 themes I reinforce and teach them from this movie. Don’t keep your gifts and talents hidden: Each of us has a unique talent and skill set that if used properly will make this world a better place. Don’t let fear allow you to keep them hidden. You will be miserable. When you unlock and use your talents, you will find your destiny, and be happier. Sometimes others will do things do encourage you to hide your talents. They could be well meaning teachers, parents, or friends, and they will try to steer you into a “safe” or “normal” life. “If you are to busy living the life someone else wants you live, who will live your life?” You owe it to the world and yourself to pursue your passions and talents. You talents can be used to help or hurt others: She used her talent to help her sister have so much fun. Her anger and frustration almost destroyed her city. It almost killed her sister. It all depended on how she chose to use her talent. A persuasive person can help others by helping them search and buy the perfect product that meets their needs, or they can con someone and take advantage of them using that same skill. The strongest kid in school can stand up for the oppressed or be an oppressor. We choose! The beauty of that tower she created is awe inspiring. (Yes I know it is magic and not possible in the time she did it.) Your life will be a “swirling storm inside” until you unlock your true calling. My most important job as a parent is to help my daughters find who God created them to be. I can’t let my desires for them or thoughts of what they should like affect my responsibility. Your Life’s work should be a thing of beauty! When you unlock your talents and passions you will find yourself dancing to work. You don’t have to live in misery. Don’t let others hold you back from the life you were created to...

Dr Kelly Flanagan made the following comment in a recent post: “I have been a witness to people who quit avoiding suffering and decide to carry it—venturing into the world full of courage, because they know they can bear the weight of it, because they know it won’t overwhelm them, because they know they can stand strong in the midst of it.” Success doesn’t usually go to the most talented or the luckiest. It usually goes to the one who was beat down, failed, was rejected…. And then they got back up at tried again this time a little smarter. Every time they get knocked they get up again. Four years ago my investing in rental real estate had almost bankrupted our family. I had to negotiate out of a deal I had made. I had made a commitment and it had led my family to the point… “where keeping that commitment would have meant taking food and shelter from my children.” At that moment I could have quit, here are a list of excuses that would have convinced most it was a “smart decision to get out of rental properties:” It is too hard to find good tenants; especially in that neighborhood. Maintenance costs on older homes are to high The economy is so bad tenants don’t have money to pay rent You have to be rich to invest in real estate With all the new rules it is impossible to borrow money to renovate a home I didn’t make a list of excuses, I made a list of lessons learned. Then I got better as a property manager. I became a better business man. And I became a better husband and father. Using these lessons I focused on the properties we had left. I was determined to do it better. Many of these hard lessons became the foundation of our current success. 2013 was our best year ever, and I still have lots of improvements to make to my systems and procedures. Our success would not have happened if it wasn’t for those hard lessons and experiences we had 4 years ago. Our rental income is now a substantial source of income for our family. What once threatened to take food from my children, now allows me to stay at home with them 2 days each week. We are on our way toward our long term family goals. I could have let frustration, suffering, struggle, and pain stop me from being a property owner. I could have let those failures beat me up. I choose to chalk-up the $50,000 loss to education expense. I chose to persist and pursue my dream. My success in real estate hasn’t...

First the impact of raising the minimum wage for everyone: 1. You will have fewer jobs: Most minimum wage jobs are basic entry level jobs. These jobs require little training or specialized skills. Which means; when the labor costs gets to a certain level; companies can often develop a machine to replace that job. (PS the machine rarely takes breaks, doesn’t need days off, no health insurance). Some jobs will be replaced by automated systems and machines. Fewer jobs for those with little training or skills. How many baggers do you see at your grocery store these days? How often do you self-scan your items? How often do you hear an automated response when you call a company? Companies found a way to design away the jobs. How many Cashiers does Amazon have? 2. People have less incentive to improve themselves. If your minimum wage is $11 to $15 per hour some people will be satisfied with that income level and not do technical training that makes them more valuable to society. Every day we each rely on millions of people to make our lives more convenient and enjoyable. Many of these people you will never see, and yet their contribution to our lives is vital. The more skills and education people have the more they can contribute to the rest of us. So, please go out and be the best “you” you can be, it will bless the rest of us. 3. Your burger will get more expensive: That increase in labor cost has to be passed onto the consumers. It will increase inflation. Prices of products increase and this will especially hurt those most sensitive to these price changes. Those most sensitive to price changes are often the same who the minimum wage increase is designed to help. The cost of living will rise and people will again scream for another increase to the minimum wage. The cycle and situation will remain the same… So, What is the solution? Minimum wage jobs are not designed to be a career. They are a starting point not the finish line. Here are 3 idea for increasing your minimum wage: Education: This doesn’t have to be a traditional college so here are some other options Technical school, there are great programs for becoming a better you in several fields. Apprenticeship, some of these are formal, or you can also find that talented local person who will train you in an informal process through experience.\ Military: most jobs in the military don’t involve carrying a rifle every day. They train you with real world skills that will transfer to your life after the military Entrepreneurship: this is finding a need and...

What is a vision statement? Your vision statement is the flowery, abstract, concepts and goals you want to see happen in your life or business. It is the dream. I will use poeticrevival.com’s vision statement as an example. Poetic Revival is a faith based poetry site and their vision statement is: “To see the Glory of God spread like a wildfire over drought stricken land; where the heat from fiery flames awaken dormant seeds, to grow with new life from the ashes.” This vision statement paints a picture; you can see a raging wildfire exploding across the forest. The fire turns the thick forest into a black smoldering wasteland scene. Then we see the green shoots of new life begin to grow from the ashes of the seeming wasteland. It is a great picture, that gives us a vision of what Poetic Revival wants to happen in the world… but it doesn’t tell us how we are going to accomplish our vision. What is a mission statement? A Mission statement tells the actions you will take and the tools you will use to accomplish your vision. It expresses the “what” and the “how” you will utilize to see the dream happen. Once again let us look at Poetic Revival and their mission statement. “Bring Revival through spoken word, poetry, verse. Using web, print, audio, and visual avenues to expand minds, encourage hearts and inspire change.” What they are bringing: “Revival through spoken word, poetry, verse.” How they will deliver it: “Using web, print, audio, and visual avenues” How to create your vision statements: Picture your funeral… see each group of people that is in your life. Your spouse, your family, your co-workers, your church, your communities, your customers…. What did you do with your limited time on Earth? What do you want each of those groups to say about you? What mark do you want to leave on this world when you are gone? How are you going to make the world a better place? In your answers to these questions you will begin to find your vision. Creating your mission statement: Evaluate the following three areas: Skills and talents (what are you good at?) Opportunities (who do you know, where do you have credibility, what can you do?) Passions (what gets your motor running, what you love doing?) The collision of these 3 areas is where your current mission should be focused. If you are there it is time to create a plan to move to those areas. That is where you will most likely find your most success. Your current mission is not a forever thing. As you move up your mountain of success you may see...

My wife has the most amazingly beautiful skin, but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife is very determined and hardworking but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife is an amazing cook, but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife speaks multiple languages but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife worships the Lord with all her heart, but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife makes good money but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but that isn’t why I love her.

My wife has connections with high ranking government officials, but it isn’t why I love her.

My wife gave me 4 amazing children, but that isn’t why I love her.

My wife is humble and doesn’t self-promote, but that isn’t why I love her.

My wife is a fabulous hostess, but that isn’t why I love her.

My wife makes me a better investor, but that isn’t why I love her.

I love my wife because…. Everyday I choose to love her. My love isn’t dependent upon her actions, looks, or wealth. True love isn’t a feeling, it is a choice to overlook shortcomings and slights. Love responds with respect, care, concern, and affection.

“Usually I skip the Anthem for NFL games. But Sunday Morning I was watching online. I looked at the Ravens players who were kneeling during the anthem… I looked at them and became curious, They grew up in an America that I don’t fully understand.Their Experience of being an American is substantially different from mine.

Perhaps we should listen rather than shout. Seek to understand their concerns and see if we can’t find a way to make this an America that we all can be proud of.”

It not that I agree or disagree with taking a knee, I can appreciate and respect the opinions of many voices in this discussion.

I can appreciate our President’s opinion and those who share it. (We live in one of the most amazing countries in the world, we should be grateful we were born here)

I can appreciate the NFL owners, players union, and commissioner telling the president don’t tell us how to run our business

We are all allowed to have our opinions and they usually represent our feelings. Your feeling are valid and your reality. Your opinions aren’t facts. Your opinions aren’t as important to others as they are to you. (most people don’t care about your opinion).

My opinion shall remain a mystery. I shall seek to understand why those amazing Black athletes don’t feel represented in our nation. I will encourage everyone I can to be the best person they can be…. No Excuses

With 3 young girls I get to watch frozen on a regular basis. Of all of the Disney animated movies, this is the only one I will let the watch as often as they want. There are 2 themes I reinforce and teach them from this movie.

Don’t keep your gifts and talents hidden:

Each of us has a unique talent and skill set that if used properly will make this world a better place. Don’t let fear allow you to keep them hidden. You will be miserable. When you unlock and use your talents, you will find your destiny, and be happier.

Sometimes others will do things do encourage you to hide your talents. They could be well meaning teachers, parents, or friends, and they will try to steer you into a “safe” or “normal” life. “If you are to busy living the life someone else wants you live, who will live your life?”

You owe it to the world and yourself to pursue your passions and talents.

You talents can be used to help or hurt others:

She used her talent to help her sister have so much fun. Her anger and frustration almost destroyed her city. It almost killed her sister. It all depended on how she chose to use her talent.

A persuasive person can help others by helping them search and buy the perfect product that meets their needs, or they can con someone and take advantage of them using that same skill. The strongest kid in school can stand up for the oppressed or be an oppressor. We choose!

The beauty of that tower she created is awe inspiring. (Yes I know it is magic and not possible in the time she did it.) Your life will be a “swirling storm inside” until you unlock your true calling.

My most important job as a parent is to help my daughters find who God created them to be. I can’t let my desires for them or thoughts of what they should like affect my responsibility.

Your Life’s work should be a thing of beauty!

When you unlock your talents and passions you will find yourself dancing to work. You don’t have to live in misery. Don’t let others hold you back from the life you were created to live!